Hidden Heroes: Asenath, Matriarch in the Faith

by David Chadwick

Hidden heroes are threaded throughout the Bible. Good guys and bad guys that God uses to accomplish his purposes in the world. It's one of the things that I love most about the Lord. He is able to take even the worst of situations and use them for good (Romans 8:28).

Asenath. Our hidden hero for today.

She is Joseph's wife, the daughter of the Egyptian priest Potiphera. She is also the mother of Joseph's two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. She is only mentioned three times in the Bible (Genesis 41:45, Genesis 41:50, and Genesis 46:20).

Though an Egyptian, who was brought up in a pagan home, she fell in love with Joseph. Surely, at some point, she became a follower of the one true God of Israel. As the mother of Ephraim and Manasseh, she became the matriarch of two of the twelve tribes of Israel!

By legend, Asenath is seen as a paradigm of virtue and grace. She saw something in Joseph that made her desire his God. She and Joseph went on to name their first son, Ephraim, which means "fruitful." They believed their lineage would be fruitful for the Lord.

They chose to name their second son Manasseh, which means "to forget." They fervently believed that they would be able to forget all the trials Joseph went through in Egypt, holding on by faith for all that God had in store for them to give them a brighter future through his faithfulness.

This is a lesson for men, especially those who are husbands and fathers, on how to develop a strong, deep faith that will influence the women in our lives towards Jesus. Men play a significant role in God's story and carry a very strong burden to protect the parts of God that their image reflects.

It is also a message for how God can take someone who doesn't know Jesus and transform them into someone who reflects his image and likeness to be used powerfully and significantly for his kingdom and glory.